Coca-Cola lightweights glass contour bottle to less than 200g

Coca-Cola now has a glass contour bottle for its 330ml size that weighs just 190g, thanks to a partnership with glass container manufacturer Ardagh. Incremental improvements in design—in combination with targeted changes in the glass forming process—have resulted in being able to reduce the weight of the beverage leader's previous 240g bottle.

During each stage of improvement, Coca-Cola has retained the contour bottle's trademark dimensions, and maintained quality and strength while improving environmental performance.

The lightweighting project also involves 330ml Sprite and Fanta bottles, in addition to the smaller sized 200ml Coca Cola bottle, which is sometimes referred to as the "mixer" bottle. The 200ml container has been lightweighted in three stages during the same timeframe, from 170g in 2002 to its current weight of 140g.

In a press release, Carsten Berkau, design manager for Glass Europe at Ardagh Group, says, "Lightweighting is an ongoing process through well-established design and manufacturing techniques. Our task is keep the brand shape, whilst determining the stress points and the optimum weight of a glass bottle. State of the art technology ensures that when we are challenged, we can respond with even greater precision."